MR. HASAN CHISHTI ( Chicago)
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Hasan Chishti - a Man of Letters, a Purveyor of Happiness
By Syed Arif
Hussaini
He has won several awards for his literary attainments
both in South Asia and in the US. But, I think what really endeared him to the
dozen or so writers who have paid glowing tributes to his Urdu compositions is
his self-effacing personality and his sincerity in purveying happiness to all
those who came in contact with him. He has always been the ‘go-to guy’ in
seeking the curatives, not just palliatives, for your pains.
Matter of fact, you don’t have to seek him out. Hasan
Chishti would seek you out the moment he comes to know of your problem. Almost
every one has made a mention of this aspect of his personality and cited
personal experiences.
In a cultural milieu where the worth of an individual is
measured in terms of the millions he has accumulated, Hasan Chishti has acquired
immeasurable wealth of the affection and respect of the Urdu-speaking community.
He has had a deep love affair with the language and its literature for over six
decades. He went to an Urdu medium school and, for higher studies, to Osmania
University, the only institution of higher learning in the sub-continent where
Urdu was the medium of instruction. After graduation, he accepted a junior post
in that institution which held a special place in his heart. He became so
popular among his colleagues that they elected him the President of the Staff
Association. He climbed up quickly to a middle-rung position in the University
hierarchy by dint of his infinite capacity to take pains and, above every thing
else, his proactive concern for the students facing problems. Soon he became
known as the “go-to guy” among student circles.
During the quarter century that he spent with that
University, he kept nurturing the itch to write and compose poetry. His close
friends at school and college were mainly Urdu poets and short story writers.
Shaz Tamkinit, who was acknowledged as an outstanding Urdu poet in the literary
circles of South Asia, was a close friend and lived in the same locality. Shaz,
like Maikash and Jazbi, became an alcoholic and died young. This had a profound
effect on Hasan who had always been himself a teetotaler. He became much closer
to his friends and his concern for their well being increased in intensity.
While in Hyderabad, he served as the Editor of monthly
Urdu magazines, Pasban and Akash, as well as of the English weekly Munsif that
is now appearing as an Urdu daily and enjoys vast circulation. That must have
taken care of his literary itch. And, to satisfy his concern for the welfare of
the community, he took active part in numerous literary, social and cultural
organizations. The experience thus gained came in handy for him in Saudi Arabia
where he shifted after retirement from Osmania.
He founded Bazme Urdu and Hyderabad Association in Saudi
Arabia to provide forums to the community for the expression and solution of
their problems. A feather in his cap was the acceptance by the Indian aviation
office to commence a direct flight between Hyderabad and Jedda. Hyderabad
Association had been pleading for this under his leadership.
After a sojourn of seven years in Jedda, he decided to
migrate in 1986 to Chicago mainly to provide opportunities to his grown children
to labor and live well. Blessed with the capacity to take pains, he launched a
new business at age 60 - no mean feat! It started thriving mainly because of his
integrity, a happy temperament and an exceptional zeal to be helpful.
His roots in Hyderabad led him to be recognized as an
icon of Hyderabadi culture. His inherent nobility provided the underpinning of
reliability in a highly competitive business atmosphere.
His two sons run the business now letting him focus full
attention on literary, cultural and social activities. He is 76 but is quite
active.
Earlier, he served for 9 years as the Bureau Chief in
Chicago of the prestigious weekly Pakistan Link, published from California in
both Urdu and English. He writes frequently for Urdu dailies Siyaset and Munsif
of Hyderabad. He has to his credit a long list of well-deserved awards by
literary associations in India and the US.
His greatest achievement, to my mind, is the compilation
and publication in four volumes of the writings of Mujtaba Husain, a
contemporary humor writer in Urdu language. These books are: Mujtaba Husain ki
Behtareen Tahreerain (Two volumes), Mujtaba Husain kay Muntakhib Column, and
Mujtaba Husain kay Safarname.
It is said of Sir Syed that he once remarked that if God
asked him what was his biggest achievement in the world, he would respond, “I
got Hali to compose the Musaddas”. This elegy entitled “Mudd o Jazzer-e-Islam”
(Flow and Ebb of Islam) is undoubtedly one of the greatest works of the 19th
century.
If God posed a similar question to Hasan Chishti, he
could point out his compilation and publication of Mujtaba’s writings. I have
read with considerable interest all these volumes. Mujtaba excels in seeing the
humorous aspect of an ordinary event, even of a sorrowful development. Like
Musaddas, his writings too, particularly about the waning status of Urdu, create
the effect of an elegy. Aristotle is reported to have remarked that melancholy
men are the most witty. Given his sanguine outlook on life, Mujtaba may not be
the least melancholy person, but he undoubtedly is the most witty and humorous
Urdu writer.
Hasan Chishti can be justifiably proud of this work.
Being a modest person, he rarely mentions it.
To sum up, one may describe Hasan Chishti as a monument to
nobility.
May God grant him a long and healthy life.
(arifhussaini@hotmail.com Ph: 714-921-9634)
Courtesy: Pakistan Link
_______________________________________________________________________
(The writer is a retired civil servant of
Pakistan living with his sons in California since 1993. He held Information
posts in Pakistan’s Missions in Ottawa, Jakarta, and Bangkok and has served as
an international civil servant in Ankara and Colombo. His last foreign posting
was as Principal Information Officer of Colombo Plan. He was awarded
Tamgha-e-Quaid-i-Azam (TQA) in 1970 for meritorious services. He was born in
Hyderabad State and educated at Osmania University and at the University of
Ottawa, Canada. He is author of two books: “Profiles of National Development in
South East Asia” and “Glimpses of Life in America”)
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